Kelsey HigginsonSports Nutrition Coach and Founder at Clutch Day Coaching

The muscle growth formula for athletes

12 Sept 2025 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:06

In this concise instructional video, the speaker outlines a four‑step formula for athletes aiming to build muscle. Step 1 emphasizes consuming enough total calories to provide the energy and raw material needed for growth. Step 2 focuses on hitting a protein target of 1.8 g per kilogram of body weight (≈0.82 g per pound) to supply the building blocks for muscle tissue. Step 3 advises following a structured strength program designed for athletes, citing Coach Darren Hanson as a recommended source. Step 4 stresses the importance of recovery, especially obtaining at least eight hours of sleep each night, along with adequate hydration and nutrition. The speaker presents these points in a direct, supportive tone, encouraging viewers to screenshot and apply the steps immediately.

Chapters

If you want to build muscle as an athlete, I need you to follow this formula. Step 1, you gotta be eating enough calories in general. If you don't have enough food, that means you don't have enough material to build your muscle. You need food. Number 2, you've gotta hit your protein. If you think about your muscles as needing building blocks, protein gives you the building blocks to build your muscles bigger and stronger. If you don't have enough protein, you don't have enough building blocks and your muscles don't get big. Protein that you need to be having, if you're going in kilograms, 1.8 grams per kilogram, or if you're going in pounds, 0.82 grams per pound. That is the perfect amount of protein that your body will need to maintain and/or build muscle. Step number 3 is follow a good strength program made for athletes. Get a good program from a good coach. I'll tag one below, Coach Darren Hanson. He's amazing. He has amazing stuff. And then step number 4, you got to give yourself time for your muscles to build. That is recovery. We need sleep. We need hydration. We need food. The biggest thing here though is 8 hours of sleep. If you are not getting more than 8 hours of sleep every single night, you're doing yourself a disservice when it comes to muscle growth. I'll step to the side. So you guys can screenshot this and try it tonight. That's awkward.